Wire spool with color identification

ABSTRACT

A wire spool with color identification includes an axial tube, a first flange extending from a first end of the axial tube, and a second flange extending from a second end of the axial tube. The wire spool is characterized in that the first flange has at least one depression coated with a color layer. Thus, the color layer is not easy to peel and the cost of manufacturing the wire spool can be reduced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wire spool and more particularly to such a wire spool with color identification, the color layer of the wire spool is not easy to peel and the cost of manufacturing the wire spool can be reduced.

2. Description of the Related Art

The bonding wire used in the package process of semiconductor element is wound around a wire spool for store or transport. As shown in FIG. 1, the wire spool 1 has a metal core coated with an antirust layer 2 for avoiding oxidization of the metal core. The inner wall of the axial tube 3 and the outer walls of the two flanges 4 of the wire spool 1 are further coated with a nickel layer 5 for conducting electricity. The antirust layer 2 is added with coloring agent during manufacture to show specific color. The bonding wire with different diameter is wound around the wire spool with different color for identification. However, it costs higher to coat the wire spool 1 with two layers successively, i.e. the antirust layer 2 first and the nickel layer 5 later.

To reduce the manufacture cost of the wire spool, the nickel layer is coated on the whole surface of the metal core instead for avoiding oxidization of the metal core and conducting electricity. As shown in FIGS. 2-3, the outer wall of one flange 7 of the wire spool 6 is coated with a color layer 8 for identification. However, the bare color layer 8 is easy to peel due to collision or attrition during operation to generate tiny particles pollution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a wire spool with color identification, which has color layer that is not easy to peel to generate tiny particles pollution.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a wire spool with color identification, the cost of manufacturing the wire spool can be reduced.

The foregoing objective of the present invention are attained by the wire spool with color identification including an axial tube, a first flange extending from a first end of the axial tube, and a second flange extending from a second end of the axial tube. The wire spool is characterized in that the first flange has at least one depression coated with a color layer. The depression has an annular shape, a round shape or a curved shaped. Thus, the color layer is not easy to peel due to collision or attrition and the cost of manufacturing the wire spool can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional wire spool.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another conventional wire spool.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the 3-3 line in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the 5-5 line in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a forth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 4-5, a wire spool 10 with color identification in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising an axial tube 20, a first flange 30, a second flange 40 and a color layer 48. The wire spool 10 is used for winding a bonding wire (not shown) thereon.

The axial tube 20 is a round tube having a first end 21 and a second end 22 opposite to the first end 21. The first flange 30 extends radially from the first end 21 of the axial tube 20 and the second flange 40 extends radially from the second end 22 of the axial tube 20. An annular depression 32 is provided at the middle of the outer wall of the first flange 30. The axial tube 20, the first flange 30 and the second flange 40 are made by coating a nickel layer on an aluminum core for conducting electricity, avoiding oxidization of the aluminum core, and reducing manufacture cost. Two notches 34, 44 for orientation are provided respectively at the first flange 30 and the second flange 40. The depression 32 is coated with a color layer 48. The way to coat the color layer 48 on the depression 32 is by printing, spraying, baking paint or other method. The color layer 48 is not easy to peel by collision or attrition since the top of the color layer 48 is lower than the outer wall of the first flange 30. Thus, the color identification function of the wire spool 10 can be prolonged and the tiny particles pollution of the conventional wire spool can be avoided such that the objectives of the present invention can be achieved.

In practice, the second flange 40 of the wire spool 10 can also be provided with a depression coated with a color later such that both sides of the wire spool have color identification function. The location of the depression 32 has a lot of alternatives. As shown in FIG. 6, a wire spool 50 with color identification in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The outside of the outer wall of the first flange 52 of the wire spool 50 is provided with an annular depression 53 coated with a color layer 54.

A wire spool 60 with color identification in accordance with the third preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7. The inside of the outer wall of the first flange 62 of the wire spool 60 is provided with an annular depression 63 coated with a color layer 64.

A wire spool 70 with color identification in accordance with the forth preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8. The inside and outside of the outer wall of the first flange 72 of the wire spool 70 is provided respectively with an annular depression 73, 74 each coated with a color layer 75, 76.

A wire spool 80 with color identification in accordance with the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 9. The outer wall of the first flange 82 of the wire spool 80 is provided with three annular depressions 83-85 each coated with a color layer 86-88. The color layers 86-88 each have different color from the other such that the operator can identifies specific bonding wire with different diameter more easily.

Besides, the shape of the depression has many alternatives, too. For example, the depression has an annular shape in FIGS. 4-9, a curved shape similar to the shape of the color layer 8 in FIG. 2, or a round shape in FIG. 10. A wire spool 90 with color identification in accordance with the sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 10. The outer wall of the first flange 92 of the wire spool 90 is provided with a plurality of round depressions 94 each coated with a color layer 96.

In fact, no matter how the shape or the amount of the depression changes, it should be protected by the present invention as long as one of the flanges has at least one depression coated with a color layer. The wire spool can be manufactured by coating a nickel layer on an aluminum core, or made integrally of conductive metal which is uneasy to be oxidized, for instance, Platinum. Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A wire spool with color identification, comprising: an axial tube having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end; a first flange extending radially from the first end of the axial tube ; and a second flange extending radially from the second end of the axial tube; wherein the wire spool is characterized in that the first flange has at least one depression coated with a color layer.
 2. The wire spool with color identification as claimed in claim 1, which is characterized in that the depression has an annular shape.
 3. The wire spool with color identification as claimed in claim 1, which is characterized in that the depression has a round shape.
 4. The wire spool with color identification as claimed in claim 1, which is characterized in that the depression has a curved shape. 